Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Northam

For one person, living is cheaper in Almaty: $1,363 a month against $2,498 in Northam, rent and utilities included – about $13,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Almaty, Kazakhstan
Northam, Australia
Almaty
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
$1,363
/mo nomad
Northam
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,498
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Almaty and in Northam

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Almaty and in Northam actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,363 per month in Almaty vs $2,498 in Northam, rent included.

  • Almaty $1,363
  • Northam $2,498

A couple spends around $2,131 per month in Almaty vs $3,618 in Northam, rent included.

  • Almaty $2,131
  • Northam $3,618

A family of three spends $2,900 per month in Almaty vs $4,737 in Northam, rent included.

  • Almaty $2,900
  • Northam $4,737

Almaty is about 45% cheaper than Northam, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Almaty
Northam
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.05 ₸5,915
$19.97 A$28.40
-34.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.44 ₸19.7K
$85.1 A$121
-48.95%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.76 ₸3,972
$10.55 A$15.01
-16.97%
Cappuccino
$3.32 ₸1,505
$4.48 A$6.37
-25.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 ₸608
$2.84 A$4.04
-52.82%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 ₸375
$2.29 A$3.26
-63.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.36 ₸1,522
$8.30 A$11.80
-59.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.02 ₸1,822
$8.10 A$11.52
-50.37%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Almaty
Northam
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.65 ₸749
$1.74 A$2.48
-5.17%
White Bread (500g)
$0.93 ₸422
$2.58 A$3.67
-63.95%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.05 ₸930
$1.98 A$2.82
3.54%
Eggs
$2.46 ₸1,116
$4.48 A$6.37
-45.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.49 ₸5,661
$6.37 A$9.06
96.08%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.71 ₸3,043
$9.12 A$12.98
-26.43%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.85 ₸4,918
$14.08 A$20.02
-22.94%
Apples (1kg)
$1.78 ₸809
$2.73 A$3.88
-34.80%
Banana (1kg)
$2.25 ₸1,021
$3.25 A$4.62
-30.77%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.87 ₸1,303
$3.44 A$4.90
-16.57%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.71 ₸1,230
$4.92 A$6.99
-44.92%
Potato (1kg)
$0.80 ₸363
$2.89 A$4.12
-72.32%
Onion (1kg)
$0.55 ₸250
$1.97 A$2.81
-72.08%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.62 ₸734
$2.25 A$3.20
-28.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.00 ₸454
$0.73 A$1.04
36.99%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.58 ₸1,170
$41.37 A$58.8
-93.76%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.15 ₸5,052
$3.49 A$4.97
219.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 ₸573
$4.40 A$6.25
-71.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48 ₸1,123
$3.51 A$5.00
-29.34%
🚌 Getting Around
Almaty
Northam
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.28 ₸128
$2.92 A$4.16
-90.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.05 ₸9,996
$80.6 A$115
-72.63%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.34 ₸609
$3.53 A$5.02
-62.04%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 ₸288
$1.46 A$2.07
-56.16%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.04 ₸5,006
$41.14 A$58.5
-73.16%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.72 ₸327
$1.35 A$1.91
-46.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.1K ₸12.8M
$26.9K A$38.2K
4.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.8K ₸14.4M
$29.5K A$41.9K
7.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Almaty
Northam
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$90.5 ₸41.0K
$196 A$279
-53.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.63 ₸4,818
$24.09 A$34.27
-55.87%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.12 ₸8,211
$64.3 A$91.5
-71.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Almaty
Northam
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$69.0 ₸31.3K
$56.5 A$80.3
22.19%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.98 ₸12.2K
$17.81 A$25.33
51.49%
Cinema Ticket
$6.77 ₸3,070
$17.30 A$24.61
-60.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Almaty
Northam
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$444 ₸201.1K
$2,328 A$3,310
-80.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.0K ₸5.4M
$23.2K A$33.0K
-48.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Almaty
Northam
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.9 ₸41.6K
$77.3 A$110
18.89%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.80 ₸21.7K
$66.3 A$94.3
-27.89%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$139 ₸63.1K
$123 A$174
13.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131 ₸59.6K
$161 A$229
-18.36%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Almaty
Northam
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$777 ₸352.1K
$1,391 A$1,978
-44.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$494 ₸223.9K
$1,190 A$1,693
-58.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,439 ₸652.1K
$2,173 A$3,091
-33.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$905 ₸410.2K
$1,783 A$2,536
-49.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,470 ₸1.1M
$5,780 A$8,221
-57.27%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,517 ₸687.6K
$4,889 A$6,954
-68.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Almaty
Northam
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$857 ₸388.2K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
20.65
5.91
249.41%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Almaty: October 18, 2026

Last update for Northam: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Almaty
$494
Northam
$1.2K 141% $696
Groceries & Markets
Almaty
$251
Northam
$314 25.3% $63
Eating Out
Almaty
$204
Northam
$323 58.4% $119
Clothing & Footwear
Almaty
$185
Northam
$192 4.1% $7.5
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Almaty
$119
Northam
$284 138% $165
Sport & Entertainment
Almaty
$83
Northam
$91 10.3% $8.5
Getting Around
Almaty
$28
Northam
$103 272% $75

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $777 in Almaty versus $1,391 in Northam. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Almaty versus $85 in Northam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $314 – making Almaty the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇰🇿 Almaty
🇦🇺 Northam
🕒 Local time
05:40 5:40 AM
08:40 8:40 AM
3 h ahead of Almaty
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,475,400
6,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD, EUR to KZT – Kazakhstani Tenge Converter

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 26, 2026: 1 USD = 453 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 508 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 26, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 AUD (1 AUD = 0.703 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 AUD (1 AUD = 0.628 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Almaty Northam 9,260 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Almaty
  • Northam

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Almaty vs Northam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Almaty cheaper than Northam?
Yes – Northam is pricier by about 83%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,044 per month in Almaty and $3,747 in Northam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Almaty, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $777 there versus $1,391 in Northam.
Is eating out cheaper in Almaty or in Northam?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Almaty and $85 in Northam. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Almaty and in Northam?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,363 in Almaty and $2,498 in Northam. That’s a gap of about 83%.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Almaty or in Northam?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Almaty, where all-in costs run around $1,363, than in Northam at $2,498. In Almaty it covers expenses comfortably, while in Northam it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Almaty or Northam more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Almaty – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Almaty is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 83% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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